IF RUMOURS widely reported in leading UK media and championed by a eurosceptic MP are correct, long-term British expats will not be able to vote in the planned referendum on the UK’s EU membership.
Connexion is pressing Number 10 for a clear statement on whether this is government policy, or just an assumption based on the fact that – as the Conservatives told Connexion weeks ago – it is expected that the franchise for the EU referendum will be the same as for general elections (with minor differences, eg. Britons in Gibraltar are expected to have a referendum vote). This currently means – as in the recent elections – that expats who have lived abroad for more than 15 years cannot vote.
The crux of the issue however is a separate issue: How soon the government will honour the Conservative manifesto pledge which said: “We will introduce votes for life, scrapping the rule that bars British citizens who have lived abroad for more than 15 years from voting” ? There is logically no reason why this would have to be in the same bill as the one calling for a referendum to be held.
In another of its manifesto pledges the Conservative party said it would hold an EU referendum “before the end of 2017”, but commentators think it is even possible it could be held next year.
Former Conservative minister John Redwood MP, a leading eurosceptic, states in a piece on the website of The Telegraph today: “The people who voted in the general election to ask for a referendum on the EU are the right people to vote in that referendum. It does not make sense to change the franchise from the normal one in general elections.
“This is an important referendum on whether we stay in the European Union or find a better way from outside the treaties to trade with the member states, be friends with them and negotiate with them as most of the rest of the world does successfully. It is not a sideshow to a wider discussion about changing our normal voter list.”
Mr Redwood’s comments, which backed up ones he made on BBC Radio 4’s news programme Today yesterday, come as the government is expected to present a referendum bill on Thursday, after it is referred to in tomorrow’s Queen’s Speech.
Today presenter Justin Webb said on yesterday's programme that it is not now expected that long-term expats will take part in the referendum, or people younger than normal voting age, such as 16 and 17-year-olds, who were able to vote in the Scottish referendum on UK membership. Nor will foreigners resident in the UK, which also differs from the Scottish referendum, which was based on residence in Scotland (as for Scottish parliament elections) and not on UK General Election voting rights.
The SNP and Labour, who support remaining in Europe, also support lowering the franchise for the referendum to 16, because, they say, being in or out of Europe will have a big impact on young people’s futures and that letting them take part in Scotland increased their interest in politics.
Commentators note, however, that teenagers are also considered to be among those with a more positive view of the EU.
British newspapers such as The Guardian which followed up the Today interview, focused on the two issues of the teenage vote and foreign residents – but the issue of long-term expats has also been raised.
The Guardian headlined: “EU referendum voting rights will not be extended to all UK citizens living abroad - Despite Grant Shapps’ promise last year, the government rules out giving voting rights to British nationals living overseas for 15 years or more.”
In his Telegraph piece Mr Redwood said: “Our Conservative manifesto contained no proposals to allow EU migrants or 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in general elections or in the referendum. Expats who have been abroad more than 15 years have a better claim but we don’t want to make special cases for the referendum.”
Last September Mr Shapps said: “If the Conservative Party wins the next general election, we will remove this cap and extend it to a full right as a British citizen to vote in British elections for life.
“Being a British citizen is for life. It gives you the lifelong right to be protected by our military and Foreign Office, and to travel on a British passport. We believe it should also give you the lifelong right to vote.
“If you are a British Citizen, Britain is your home, your country. You are British. Yet currently the UK Government denies you the democratic right to vote in elections that could have a huge impact on your life, just because you have been abroad 15 years.
“Many hardworking taxpayers dream of retiring overseas. As they return from their holidays this summer, we want them to know that wherever and whenever they may choose to retire: Conservatives will never take away their vote.”
Speaking of long-term expats, Mr Webb told Mr Redwood: “It’s not a large group of people but they feel very strongly. They thought they had a promise from Grant Shapps... It appears now to them to be broken”.
Mr Redwood said: “The government wants to get on with this referendum and meet its promise to the British people.... It would be wrong to use the referendum to make changes to the electorate.... the restrictions [on groups including teenagers, foreigners and long-term expats] are entirely right.
“It must be the British people, living in Britain, who make this decision... There’s a long parliament ahead of us and we can look at changes for future elections, but I think this referendum is too important and urgent – it’s one of the crucial promises from the general election which we need to honour and I don’t think it’s time to start with experimenting with who should vote.”
However another guest, Laura Sandys MP (Con) of the pro-EU European Movement group said: “I think that many of my colleagues have been pushing for this [an end to the 15-year rule] for a very long time; it is something the Conservatives have been on the front foot on. It [the referendum] will impact these people more than anybody.”
Connexion has been asking the Conservatives for several weeks whether they will prioritise changing the rule before the referendum, but the party has not yet responded.
Asked for clarification about whether or not it is the government's intention to leave the 15-year rule change until after the referendum, a Number 10 Downing Street spokesman said: “The [referendum] Bill will be published later this week and we’re not going to pre-empt that.”
The British Embassy estimates there could be as many as 400-500,000 British expats in France and it is estimated there are more than two million Britons in total living in other EU states.
Photo: Ssolbergj
